John Macquarrie writes concerning Matt. 16:18, etc.
" 'The powers of death shall not prevail against it.' But this is not to claim infallibility for the Church. It is indeed to assert a measure of authority for it and to declare its normal superiority over individual judgement. But since the Church is at any given time less than the kingdom, its authority is not absolute and, as has been shown already, must be counterbalanced by the authority of scripture and also that of reason. If the statement that General Councils 'may err and sometimes have erred' seems to be somewhat negative, it is not to be taken as implying in the slightest degree any disrespect for the Church, but is simply an acknowledgement that the Church, understood as process rather than fulfillment, and so less than Christ and less than the kingdom, does not have absolute authority 'even in the things pertaining to God.' " (Principles of Christian Theology, Page 390. 2nd Ed.)
And as one of my heroes from the 17th century said: "[it is] true and certain that the church can stray from the path and choose error instead of truth," thus the Bible's authority (AUCTORITAS) "is far superior to the authority of the church . . ." (Cyril Lucaris qt. in Jaroslav Pelikan's The Christian Tradition 2:284-285).
Thursday, July 12, 2012
Theologian John Macquarrie Differentiates Between the Ecclesia and Scriptura
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Malachi3:1-4NASB"Behold,I am going to send My messenger,and he will clear the way before Me.And the Lord,whom you seek,will suddenly come to his temple;and the messenger of the covenant,in whom you delight,behold,He is comong,"says the LORD of hosts."But who can endure the day of his coming?And who can stand when he appears?For He is like a refiner's fire and like fuller's soap.He will sit as a smelter and purifier of silver,and He will purify the sons of levi and refine them like gold and silver,so that they may present to the LORD offerings in righteousness."
Macquarrie asserts that the Church's authority is not absolute and must be "counterbalanced" by Scripture and reason. However, this perspective overlooks the Catholic understanding that the Church's authority is divinely instituted and safeguarded by the Holy Spirit. Matthew 16:18-19, where Christ establishes Peter as the "rock" of the Church, gives the Church a unique and authoritative role in guiding believers. Christ explicitly says, "the gates of hell shall not prevail against it," affirming the Church's endurance and authority over time. While the Church is made up of fallible individuals, its teaching authority, particularly in matters of faith and morals (as defined through ecumenical councils or papal pronouncements), is protected from error by the Holy Spirit.
The Catholic Church does not claim that every individual within the Church is infallible, but the Magisterium (the teaching office of the Church) has been granted the charism of infallibility when teaching ex cathedra (from the chair of Peter) on matters of faith and morals. This is based on Christ’s promise to send the Holy Spirit to guide the Church "into all truth" (John 16:13). Thus, while the Church is indeed part of the ongoing process of salvation, its role as Christ’s instrument on Earth is divinely safeguarded in key areas of doctrine.
The assertion that Scripture's authority is "far superior" to that of the Church reflects a misunderstanding of the relationship between Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition. Catholic theology teaches that both Scripture and Tradition are part of the single deposit of faith handed down by the apostles (2 Thessalonians 2:15). The Church does not view Scripture as standing over and against Tradition or the Church itself. Instead, they are complementary. The Church, guided by the Holy Spirit, authentically interprets Scripture, which is why the Bible itself was canonized by the Church in the early centuries.
Cyril Lucaris' argument that the Church can err and that Scripture alone holds authority reflects a Protestant principle of sola scriptura, which is itself not found in Scripture. Nowhere in the Bible does it claim that Scripture alone is the sole rule of faith. Instead, Scripture consistently points to the importance of the apostolic tradition (1 Corinthians 11:2, 2 Thessalonians 2:15). Furthermore, without the authority of the Church, we would not even know with certainty what books belong in the Bible, as the canon was determined by Church councils under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
Macquarrie’s suggestion that the Church is "less than the Kingdom" and therefore fallible in "things pertaining to God" misses the Catholic understanding that the Church is the living body of Christ on Earth, and its authority derives from Christ Himself. While it is true that the Church is not yet in its perfected state (the fullness of the Kingdom is yet to come), Christ entrusted the Church with His mission and His authority. The Bible itself shows that the apostles and their successors (bishops) were given authority to teach and interpret Scripture (Matthew 28:18-20, 1 Timothy 3:15). The Church, therefore, is not just one institution among many but is the pillar and foundation of truth (1 Timothy 3:15).
The Catholic Church acknowledges that individual members, including clergy, can err in personal judgment. However, when it comes to official teachings on faith and morals, especially when pronounced through ecumenical councils or the pope speaking ex cathedra, the Church is protected from error by the Holy Spirit. The relationship between Scripture and Church authority is not one of opposition but of complementarity, as the Church has the authority to interpret Scripture authentically. Therefore, Macquarrie’s suggestion that Scripture's authority must "counterbalance" the Church's authority misunderstands the nature of the Church as instituted by Christ and the role of Tradition in preserving and interpreting the faith.
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